On June 14, Las Vegas bade a fond farewell to the Riviera’s Monaco tower in a flawless implosion. This was one of two towers at this north Strip property – an implosion for the other is planned for August – and it was nothing short of fitting for such a storied hotel. Opened in April 1955, the Riviera was the first high-rise hotel in the city and drew the likes of Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley and Dean Martin over the years.

It’s easy to get tangled up in nostalgia, but even as we reflect on the Riviera’s iconic place in Las Vegas’ history, the city marches on, reinventing and re-creating itself for today’s visitors.

If there’s one thing that hasn’t changed, it’s that performances and concerts continue to be a favorite with visitors. In fact, the average trip expenditure for shows jumped from $47.56 in 2014 to $61.95 in 2015, according to the recent Las Vegas Visitor Profile distributed by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.

Fresh talent

Paul Zerdin is a witty ventriloquist and Season 10 winner of “America’s Got Talent.” Zerdin and his cast of memorable characters have great comedic timing, keeping crowds chuckling until the final punch line in the PH Showroom at Planet Hollywood Resort (tickets start at $42).

No stranger to the Las Vegas Strip, Frankie Moreno has stolen the spotlight once again with his new stage show, “Under the Influence,” also in the PH Showroom (tickets start at $33). Named Las Vegas headliner of the year twice, Moreno brims with energy in this performance, in which he covers songs made famous by performers from Ray Charles to Michael Jackson. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself dancing in your seat and humming a favorite tune stuck in your head when you leave the theater.

All you need is ...

Cirque du Soleil’s “The Beatles Love” is marking its 10th year with a vibrant and colorful show teeming with new choreography, music, costumes and acts (tickets start at $79). Though it’s rightfully earned its title as one of the most popular Cirque shows in Las Vegas, the changes are innovative and refreshing. One of the highlights is the creative use of hand-drawn projections, which invites the Beatles themselves into the performance area – no small feat, given that the show takes place on a 360-degree stage. For the most intimate and immersive experience, buy a ticket in one of the lower seating tiers.

More music

Fremont Street Experience’s Rock of Vegas free concert series is back this summer with a host of shows. Though there always seems to be live music coming from this corner of downtown, this series (now in its eighth year) is one of the most popular summer events in the city. Remaining shows of the season include the Cherry Poppin’ Daddies (Saturday), Robby Krieger of the Doors (July 23), Vertical Horizon (Aug. 6), Melissa Etheridge (Aug. 20) and Smash Mouth (Sept. 3).

Homegrown hit

Downtown Las Vegas’ home-grown Life Is Beautiful festival is coming back for its fourth year Sept. 23-25, and tickets are on sale (including payment option packages). The event, which was designed as a four-tiered festival featuring music, visual and performance art, food and education, seems to be more focused on the music front with each passing year, but headliners remain as impressive as ever. This year, festivalgoers can expect to see Mumford & Sons, J. Cole, Major Lazer, the Lumineers and Jane’s Addiction among dozens of bands. (Insider’s tip: Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! A new policy dictates that general admission ticketholders will no longer be allowed re-entry once they enter festival grounds for the day, so you’ll have to bear the brunt of the sun.)

Where to stay

The Linq Hotel, a mid-Strip property, has been one of my favorites since it rebranded a couple years ago, though it recently upped its ante with something unusual: bunk beds. An option for families or groups of friends, this is the first time bunk beds have been available on the Strip. True, it may not be the Riviera, but this is the bright and beautiful Las Vegas of today … doing things in its own constantly evolving way.

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